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<h1><a href="https://archiveofourown.org/works/26072368">Due East</a> by <a class='authorlink' href='https://archiveofourown.org/users/HirenShei/pseuds/HirenShei'>HirenShei</a></h1>

<table class="full">

<tr><td><b>Category:</b></td><td>Fire Emblem: Fuukasetsugetsu | Fire Emblem: Three Houses</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Genre:</b></td><td>Almyra (Fire Emblem), Claude von Riegan Focussed, Dimitri Alexandre Blaiddyd Lives, F/M, Fire Emblem: Three Houses Blue Lions/Golden Deer Joint Route, Fluff and Angst, I wrote this on a whim, Late Night Writing, More chapters may follow, Non-Graphic Violence, One Shot, Post-Golden Deer Route (Fire Emblem: Three Houses), Rating May Change, for now, no beta we die like Glenn</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Language:</b></td><td>English</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Status:</b></td><td>In-Progress</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Published:</b></td><td>2020-08-23</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Updated:</b></td><td>2020-10-11</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Packaged:</b></td><td>2021-05-18 03:06:41</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Rating:</b></td><td>General Audiences</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Warnings:</b></td><td>No Archive Warnings Apply</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Chapters:</b></td><td>4</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Words:</b></td><td>11,791</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Publisher:</b></td><td>archiveofourown.org</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Story URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/works/26072368</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Author URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/users/HirenShei/pseuds/HirenShei</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Summary:</b></td><td><div class="userstuff">
              <p>Three years have passed since peace returned to Fôdlan. Led by her wise king, Dimitri Alexandre Blaiddyd, Fôdlan's inhabitants rise from the ashes of the long war.<br/>Those who had fought to achieve this have taken their places in the new kingdom, except for two of it's most instrumental players.<br/>Claude left after the war ended, he took off toward the east.<br/>And Byleth, heir apparent to the church of Seiros, left Seteth in charge to follow her own path, several months after the coronation.<br/>Having once guided the young men and woman of the Leicester alliance, she had vanished without a trace, some speculate she did so to fight an unseen enemy from emperiling the young peace that had finally blessed the lands.</p>
<hr/>
            </div></td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Relationships:</b></td><td>My Unit | Byleth &amp; Claude von Riegan, My Unit | Byleth/Claude von Riegan</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Comments:</b></td><td>19</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Kudos:</b></td><td>60</td></tr>

</table>

<a name="section0001"><h2>1. Chapter 1</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Author's Note:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
      <p>I wrote this without mulling it over for days(weeks), so this is very much an experiment. </p>
<p>Thank you for reading!</p>
    </blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>"My lord."  A coarse scroll, sealed with the sigil of Nader joined many others on his desk. The seal was enough for him to break it and scan its contents. Hastily written script bearing ill-tidings greeted him, as usual.<br/>
His frown deepened for just a moment. He rose from his perch and tossed the letter in the hearth behind him. After scanning the room yet once again, he finally allowed himself to massage his temples as he fell back down in his seat again. </p>
<p>"We fought a war together, you know."</p>
<p>He turned to her with a sigh and a look on his face that betrayed just a smidge of guilt.<br/>
"I know, I-" He glanced about, feeling too worn out to think of an easy way out of the conversation he knew was coming. Some day. Surely.</p>
<p>"I- just can't believe it yet. You know?" It wasn't a lie, exactly. "You, here. After all those years."</p>
<p>"I told you I'd fight for you." She repeated. Words he didn't believe when she first spoke them, so many years ago.</p>
<p>"Yeah. I am sorry I didn't believe you then." He heaved himself out of his chair and moved to the other side of his desk, sitting on its edge. "It's just-" He scratched the back of his neck. "-many people have promised me things."</p>
<p>"They let you down." She stated quietly. </p>
<p>He shrugged. "What can I say? I am still a pessimist after all." He held a cautious smile. "For a while, you had me cured, you know? " He met her gaze. "Riding high after our victory- I wanted to continue the momentum all the way to here." He spread his arms.<br/></p>
<p>"Then reality knocked?" She asked whilst keeping her tone of voice carefully light.<br/></p>
<p>
"With an army of twenty-thousand cavalry strong." He let himself sigh again. "Now I went and have gotten myself mired in politics."<br/>
"It beats being dead." She spoke softly, bearing the hint of a smile. </p>
<p>"Sometimes I wonder if it does." He felt his smile grow thinner and his mood fall. </p>
<p>"Khalid."</p>
<p>Hearing his name roll off her tongue- it still felt so foreign.<br/>
"I know- I know." He forced a false smile. "It ain't that bad yet.</p>
<p>She instead shook her head.<br/>
"You need sleep. Eight hours of it, followed by a good meal. She rose up from her pillow and faced him.</p>
<p> </p>
<p>"Okay, if you tell me why you're here. The truth." He had asked that question before, she had answered it before, and he knew she was no liar.<br/>
But it was so difficult to believe.<br/></p>
<p>
"I am here to fight for you. How many times are you going to ask me this question?" It was her turn to sigh. "Are you so weary of my presence here?"<br/></p>
<p>
He shook his head. That thought had crossed his mind before, but he had torn it out and thrown it away no moment later. She had earned his trust.<br/>
"You always show up whenever I am trouble." He offered her a pearl of truth. "The trouble is that I am probably too much of a pessimist to believe you even show up now after I left all of you behind." The weight of that guilt hadn't left his shoulders for a day since his departure.</p>
<p>She shook her head with an easy smile. "You may be a pessimist and a generally shrewd individual, sometimes even a bit of an ass- she emphasized - but that doesn't magically invalidate a promise." </p>
<p>"I am grateful it doesn't. Even though I probably don't deserve it, I am relieved you came." His brow wrinkled with his own frustration. "I cannot speak at liberty here, but-"<br/>
"I know." She reached out and laid her hand on his shoulder. "We are surrounded by cloaks with untold numbers of daggers hiding within." She stated the painful truth with no reservations. "We may be poisoned or ambushed, betrayed by a page or a general." She met his gaze.<br/>
"We may die here. But until that is the case, until then - you have to keep walking. You have to keep reaching for your dream, so that one day you too, will know peace."</p>
<p> </p>
<p>== (  ==</p>
<p></p><blockquote>
  <p><br/>
"She is an unknown, and with that a threat. If we are to succeed in our ambition, she will have to be removed somehow."<br/>
"We have tried to influence the young Khan to remove her. Her Fôdlani blood is an affront to this court, but he seems not to care!"<br/>
"What reason does he have to keep that woman close, unless he intends to use her to break off his engagement-"<br/>
"- surely he would not. To do so would be foolish, that wedding secures his right to rule the southern regions."<br/>
"Exactly, despite this risk to his reputation by keeping a solicitous woman from those barbarians to the west, he chooses her to be a part of his personal guard? Why?"<br/>
"The better question is how we can use this barbarian woman to further our plans."<br/>
"Indeed, I will make some inquiries."</p>
</blockquote><p> </p>
<p>Not looking impressed she handed the paper back to him before adopting a frown.<br/>
"If I read this right, they have a point." She glanced back at him.<br/></p>
<p>
"Your Almyran is getting better by the day-" He smiled before placing the missive to the side of his desk.<br/></p>
<p>
She glanced back at him before turning away. "My presence could be used to put stress on your engagement." She looked back to him with a carefully guarded expression.<br/></p>
<p>It wasn't something he had wanted to address right now. The topic on its own sat uncomfortably heavy on his chest.<br/>"Our engagement won't be jeopardized so easily." He mustered his courage into a smile. "Plus I doubt these guys possess the necessary subtlety. I know they all have mistresses hidden in some closet or another."<br/>She didn't seem convinced, however.<br/></p>
<p>
"I think It'd be best if we exercise more caution. I don't want to give them more knives to thrust in your back."</p>
<p>His sulk must have slipped because she followed up not long after.<br/>
"My time in the new kingdom has more than prepared me in giving the slip to spies and their ilk." A somewhat prideful grin graced her lips.</p>
<p>== (  ==</p>
<p>"My lord, I'd feel better if we could discuss this in private." He sighed, he knew where this was going by now. Fôdlan was known for their xenophobic ways, but alas, Almyra wasn't too different, sadly.<br/>
"We are, as far as I can see, in a private setting." He forced cheer in his voice that he didn't feel. Slowly he saw the man's gaze shifted to his former teacher, who stood quietly alongside the rest of his honor guard.<br/>
"Not to be impolite, but-" his eyes flitted back in between Byleth and him. "-is it true that one of your honor-guard is from those western [cowards]?" </p>
<p>He knew and hated that that specific word was one of the first she had learned to recognize in the Almyran tongue. An insulting name for anyone from across the western mountains. Somewhere he hoped she had never picked up on the hatefully negative inflection the term carried with it. If she did, she kept it hidden pretty well.<br/>
"Yes, it is." He found his tone to be quite a bit more annoyed than he wanted to and quickly tried to change the course of the conversation.<br/>
"She has sworn herself to my service." He made his voice more pleasant and offered his guest a drink. "Both her loyalty and her sword arm are second to none."<br/>
"I see, curious choice. But ultimately every beast can be trained to obey with sufficient time." The man intended to praise him, but that wasn't the most trying part.<br/>
He was supposed to be grateful. Gladly, he was quite the actor when it was needed, and this time too his rehearsed smile and grin performed well.<br/>
But it came at a steep cost, a cost he had no choice but to pay right now.<br/>
If she was angered, her stone-hewn expression didn't show it. </p>
<p>The formal dinner that followed it was filled with even more strife. His fiance was attending, with her family in tow.<br/>
By the time of their scheduled arrival, nausea ruled his head. Yet he greeted and conversed as if nothing was amiss. To show weakness now, even in the slightest moment, could be the death of his dream. If his own suffering was the cost that was to be paid, then he would gladly pay it.<br/>
But his conscience wasn't as pragmatic.<br/>
Many of his betrothed's direct family praised him for his victories and achievements. Idle flattery he could manage. But when the conversation turned again, to his exotic guardswoman, his conscience was accusing him of his silent agreement.<br/>
He stood trial, with himself as both judge and defendant when he saw her standing side-by-side with his guards. He felt his heart burn as talk piped up about the war-plans of his betrothed's father. Talk of leading a raiding force westward to pluck the ripe fields of the cowards hiding behind the mountains and their forts. Talk of indiscriminate slaughter.<br/></p>
<p>
Frozen in his own trial, her eyes met his with the most minute nod paired with a slow blink. Like that of a cat.<br/>
Somehow, that caused the judge jury and executioner in his head to call a recess, and he could breathe again.</p>
<p>== (  ==</p>
<p>"Byleth, would you do me a favor?"<br/>
"Please.. Go home."</p>
<p>In the place where he had expected her anger with him to finally manifest, he found... something else.<br/>
"I can't-" He tried to line his voice with a sharp edge, but his own throat betrayed him the moment she met his gaze.<br/>
"I can't keep putting you through this." He let the truth proceed the lie he had intended to tell.</p>
<p>"Is my fate the only reason you ask this of me?" </p>
<p>Her words cut the veil he had been hiding behind clear in two. Resulting in a surge of guilt to rush through his veins. He couldn't bear looking at her.</p>
<p>"You are worth more than to be used in this manner." Normally he didn't think twice to use what was at his disposal, but this was different. He didn't know why, but he knew this had to stop.</p>
<p>"What was said of you when you first walked amongst the family of your mother, in house Riegan?" She asked the question with weighted words, carefully chosen.</p>
<p>"They said enough-" The memories flashed past his consciousness. "- but that doesn't matter now."</p>
<p>"It does." She stepped closer but left ample breathing room in between them. "Their words do not hurt me, Khalid. I do not care for them.<br/>
But I do care for you."</p>
<p>"You don't care about my words at dinner? Or when my father-in-law visited?!" Incredulous he tried to keep his voice down. To little effect.</p>
<p>"I can tell if you are lying by now." She answered, bearing a smile of all things. He didn't know if he should be relieved or afraid of how well she had seen through him.</p>
<p>"If suffering their ignorance is the price to pay for peace between Almyra and Fôdlan, it is a small price to pay." She sat herself down at his desk and picked up one of their old battleplans.<br/>
"Do you still want me to leave?" She asked, then looked up over the battered scroll with those green eyes of hers.  </p>
<p>"I don't think I'd ever want you to leave." He admitted with a sigh as he rubbed his temples.</p>
  </div></div>
<a name="section0002"><h2>2. Chapter 2</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff"><p>Chapter 2 Here is a planner/plotter who is actively trying to pants. Hoo boy.<br/>Thank you all very much for the glowingly positive reception of Chapter 1. I really wasn't sure it would be any good, but you have all given me the courage to try and continue. No promises but here goes nothing!</p></blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>"Two of the council of five want me dead. A third probably does too. The last one won't get involved." He looked to her, willing her to understand. "They won't hesitate to use whatever means they can get away with. They know they will lose if it turns to a duel." He felt his lips curl into an unfeeling smile. <br/>"All those years- all those years I managed to keep all of Fôdlan in the dark about my blood and heritage." His smile eased a little. "Here- everyone found out in less than a month."</p>
<p>She glanced at him with a softened glance. "As great as both you and I think you are, you are not perfect- " She chuckled, the sound stirred his heart in a fastened pace. "- stop trying to be. Be you." She sat down and with a soft pat of her hand invited him to join her. <br/>"You face four last hurdles. You will find a way. Or do I need to remind you of the war you schemed, plotted, and ultimately won?"</p>
<p>"This, this is different, Byleth."</p>
<p>"I know. This isn't Fôdlan- I cannot advise you like I used to." She laughed softly as she grasped for a cup of tea and held it in her weathered hands. Chipped and marked by endless battles. <br/>"I'd be foolish and doing you a disservice if I'd pretend to know this ridiculously complex political landscape." She sat back. "But under the surface, deep down. This remains a power-struggle not too unlike your own journey to become the leader of the Leicester Alliance."</p>
<p>"It can be so easy to get bogged down with the details." He stared into his cup of tea. "You gave me something to think about." He mustered a smile, which came easy this evening. "Thanks for pulling me back up to breathe, Byleth."</p>
<p>She smiled at him. "Next time you stand face-to-face with these people, be at ease. Build your confidence, face them head-on. I've seen more than enough of your shenanigans in Fôdlan to get offended by them now. I know you are tired, and I know how you make yourself feel, but that kind of guilt serves no purpose here."<br/>"I stand with you." Her serenely serious demeanor left him speechless, until she spoke again, this time with what he would almost call a cheeky grin.<br/>"Like Dedue stands by Dimitri." She took pleasure in his reaction. She finished her tea with a positively radiant grin.</p>
<p>"That man would sooner die than let Dimitri lose a hair of those goldy flowing locks of his." He sat back. Slowly a smile wormed over his lips as the memory of the reunion of Dimitri and his retainer resurfaced.<br/>"You know, we have been having an awful amount of serious conversations lately." He glanced at her. <br/>"Yeah, murder plots and the like tend to have that effect." She offered with a dry smirk. <br/>"Aah gallows humor- how I have missed thy." He chuckled. "I know you will think it inconceivable, but I actually miss Lorenz. I'd take his endless lectures about proper noble conduct over this mess every day." He kicked his feet up, and at that so did Byleth.<br/>"He has proposed to Hilda." She mused. "Poor man."<br/>"Now why does that not surprise me one bit." He laughed again. "He won't have a moment's rest when they are hitched."<br/>"I doubt he has much rest now, either." She pulled up her legs and let them sag to the side into a pillow. "They will do well together, I think." She sighed slowly. "Or at least I hope. Lorenz had a lot on his plate when I left, taking over for his father."</p>
<p>"Count Gloucester died?" </p>
<p>Byleth looked up from her thoughts with a sudden motion. "I didn't tell you yet?" She shook her head. "He was assassinated." Her eyes focussed far. He did what he could to keep himself from assailing her with questions. He knew he should feel relief at having that man gone from the stage of the world. But he didn't feel anything but a remote sense of loss.<br/>"Agarthans." She mentioned the name on a whisper he barely caught. She was always so quiet and secretive when speaking of her secret war. Her brows would tie together as her eyes saw things she hadn't found words for. Or preferred to forget entirely.<br/>Knowing what he knew of the secretive people who had manipulated both Dimitri and Edelgard into and with horrendous slaughter, he wondered if it was wise to want to know more.<br/>The only reason they hadn't gotten to him, was because they didn't know he existed. They had their arrows trained on the Ordelia's instead.<br/>Sometimes, and those times were few, it truly was better not to know.</p>
<p> </p>
<p>== (  ==</p>
<p> </p>
<p>The capitol city, Khada. The thought of living inside her walls, as tall and undefeated as they were, frightened him more than he would ever admit.<br/>For within them laid untold dangers. But were he to stay outside, in the safety of his own city, then Khan of said city was all he would ever become. He could not afford to be freightened or to back away. <br/>Thus, he went.</p>
<p>"Five major cities, five khans all ruled by the great-Khan of Almyra. You have nothing to worry about my dear, your father and your betrothed make up two of the five of the most powerful people in the land. You will lack for nothing." <br/>The conversation drifted past him with occasional words registering as he floated in between attention and the temptation of sleep. He simply wasn't meant for long carriage rides. These wooden boxes on wheels were often such tempting targets, be it for arrows or other maladies. He found himself staring jealously out of the window. Where not too far away, Byleth rode under the fierce Almyran sun. <br/>Wide, gaping plains filled with nothing but grass and the occasional herd of goats. He knew he shouldn't be staring at goats. Nor at Byleth, really. But with the conversation next to him turning into a discussion of the latest fashion, he couldn't help but tune out. </p>
<p> </p>
<p>"You think it wise to marry someone like her?" She had been waiting for him. He had slipped away not long after the party had finished their evening meal. <br/>"Depends." He sat down. They had stopped at an empty garrison for the night. They sat atop one of its thick walls. "Wise for me, no, probably not. But it's kept one Khan from trying to knock me down a peg. So that kind of makes it a necessary sacrifice." He rubbed his neck. The air stirred as she sat down next to him and took off her boots and wiggled her toes. <br/>"It's a high cost to pay." She glanced his way. He knew she was right.<br/>"Yeah." He sat back and took in the star-smattered sky. He knew what she thought of this particular decision of his. He didn't need to hear her say it, to know she didn't approve. </p>
<p>"I always knew this dream of mine would come at a price."</p>
<p> </p>
<p>== (  ==</p>
<p> </p>
<p>He found her practicing in the early morning. In the western courtyard. Unsure of how safe it was to approach, he opted to go for a bout of sparring, himself.<br/>They had been at the royal palace for almost a week, now. Nothing had happened yet. The waiting was beginning to drive him insane in the small hours of the night. Knowing without a doubt that a blade would come, but unaware as to when.<br/>The great-Khan had yet to see them. But the word was the other Khans didn't wait for the great-Khan before enacting their schemes to upend one another.<br/>Privacy to talk, to find a breath of sanity, was nigh impossible to find.</p>
<p>"Would you care to spar, my lord?" Her Almyran, although still accented, sounded impressive. <br/>"Why not!" He boasted with his false cheer as both parties paid their respect to the land, the sky, and all else in between. As was the custom.</p>
<p>Her sword flashed out of its scabbard, causing him to almost miss his parry. It brought out his smile as the challenge was posed. He embraced it and immersed himself wholly in their bout. </p>
<p> </p>
<p>Throughout the next couple of days, she was both tantalizingly close, as well as miles far away. With the eyes of all the courts on him, trying to find fault and weakness, he could afford himself no respite to properly converse. No chance to confide in her his worries and fears. But her presence kept him from feeling as alone as he had the last seven years before her arrival, and somehow, he realized that that had changed him. </p>
<p>"You look better, you know? Ever since you visited us in Triste I wasn't sure if I could stand to marry someone with such black bags under their eyes." His bride to be smiled radiantly as she intended a tease. The master of the house they were guests to chuckled along heartily. "This kid has always looked tired. What a bloodline can't do, huh?"<br/>Their host was one of the five Khans. He ruled the capitol city, and he did not hold back from rubbing in his victory. He liked to think he could take the flak, that he was calm and mature enough to let the barbs slide. He really hoped he was right.</p>
<p>"Well, you know what they say about bloodlines a tad too pure." He hardened his face in his trademarked smile. <br/>"Let us keep this civil, shall we?" His soon to be father-in-law interjected. With all five lessen Khans seated at this table, this was his proving ground.<br/>"Of course father!" He forced his voice to cooperate and prayed his eyes wouldn't lack behind as he stood up. <br/>"I propose a toast! To our great Khan and our beautiful nation. May she ever be led by those worthy. "</p>
<p> </p>
<p>== ☼ ==</p>
<p>Oh how dearly she wished to explore this city with its endless archways and colorful streets. But the reason for her visit- she glanced at Claude, or Khalid as his real name was - didn't allow for sightseeing. Yet even here, resigned to stand watch during one of the most opulent dinner-parties she had ever witnessed, she had more than enough to see.<br/>Keeping an eye on both Khalid and his surroundings without losing sight of both was a difficult task in such a beautiful and strange land. Mannerisms and customs, language and stories all changed over the span of a single mountain range.<br/>Fôdlan was all she ever knew before setting foot in this land, and oh how little that had been. In the weeks since their reunion, Claude, no Khalid, had picked himself back up from a harrowing defeat by the hand of one of the Khans on that table. She had a pretty solid guess as to who that had been.<br/>He had saved hundreds if not thousands of lives by accepting a bitter peace deal- in favor of fighting through until the bitter end.<br/>She was proud of him for that.</p>
<p>Now, he faced a new battle, one that risked his neck more than open battle ever had. Even more so, it was his last shot. The peace negotiations stripped him from a lot of valuable land. Leaving him only his city. Salisse. </p>
<p>Quietly she watched him fight, with word and wit against those who sought to kill him. One way or another. Every time one of the five jabbed, he dodged and retaliated in kind. Nimbly he avoided the minefield of trick-questions and open inquiries. A warm sense of pride bubbled up deep within her. </p>
<p> </p>
<p>"You look so pensive?" He was short of exhausted when he tracked her down in one of the guard-towers. "Let me guess, you are wondering why no one tried anything yet?" He joined her at the parapets which looked out over the town. <br/>She shook her head, letting her curls dance freely after being locked up in a hair tie all day. <br/>"I am thinking that all the sacrifice wasn't in vain." She crossed her arms on the old stones and leaned on them. <br/>"Sacrifice?" He wondered before looking up to the stars above. "You mean the war?"</p>
<p>"Partially, yes. A lot of blood has been spilled to sabotage our future." She glanced at him before glancing down to find a pair of youngsters being up to no good. It brought a smile to her lips.<br/>"The Agarthians went after Edelgard and Dimitri. One of which-" Her voice died out, but the half-Almyran beside her squeezed her shoulder in a symbol of understanding.<br/>"I couldn't save her, not from the Agarthans nor from herself." She inhaled deeply. "Dimitri- I am glad he survived this ordeal and came out so much wiser."<br/>"Hey- a lot of that comes from our sweet Marianne, though!" He tried to cheer her up, the attempt made her smile. <br/>"True, she is his balance. May they both stay healthy and strong." She righted her back.</p>
<p>"There is more-" He read her accurately. "-but you aren't sure. Cmon, you know me, I want to know it all." He grinned and gave her a soft shove. <br/>"They didn't know about you at first, but after the war, they tried to make up for that. Peace between Fôdlan and Almyra would be detrimental to their plans."</p>
<p>She saw Claude's smile sink away. </p>
<p>"The first leg of my journey was to kill a courier." She spoke without facing him further. "I needed to make sure nothing got to whomever they may or may not have connections with. I intended to guard the border, but got cut off by an army." She smiled minutely. "Your army." She turned away from the parapets and wandered off on a meandering pace.<br/>"I checked, we all did. Thrice, four times. All known outposts were-" Her voice died in her throat as she recalled what she had seen. What she had done.<br/>"There shouldn't be anyone left to send a message." She came to a stop to try and keep her shivering under wraps. "But I just can't shake the feeling-" She hitched into a muted sigh.</p>
<p>"So help me Sothis, I am turning into you." She glanced at him. </p>
<p>"Maybe" His carefree reaction shocked her. <br/>"Or maybe, you have been up one too many nights trying to keep me safe." He approached, now carrying what could best be described as a sulk. "I don't think you've noticed yet, but the bags under your eyes are about as dark as the nights here in Almyra." He placed his hand on her shoulder.<br/>"I can manage a few days without sleep." She heard herself respond, but her heart wasn't in it. She could just about drop down and sleep if she'd let herself. He was right.<br/>"Leave the paranoia to me, okay? Right now, I am going to find an excuse to sleep somewhere inconspicuous and I will even ask Nader to keep watch, okay? So go and get some hours of sleep. <br/>I need you at your best when we visit the great Khan tomorrow."</p>
<p>'When someone is right, admit it, and implement it.' Her shoulders shook with a laugh as her late father scolded her in her sleep-deprived state.<br/>"You're right...." She looked at him just a little longer. He looked curious and mystified by her sudden chuckle. It was a view she decided she liked.<br/>"Sleep in the tack room. Nothing but cats there." She closed her eyes. "Have someone sent for me if I oversleep, please." She yawned.<br/>"I will come and get you." He smiled. "Sleep well, my friend."</p>
  </div><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_foot_notes"><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
          <p>Thank you for reading! I may or may not have plans for more. Some stabby stabby and nightshade and digitalis. I want these two together &lt;3</p>
        </blockquote></div></div>
<a name="section0003"><h2>3. Chapter 3</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>== ¤ ==</p><p>Sleep, proper, nurturing sleep, like she enjoyed back in the days of Garreg Mach, was nothing but precious memory. Ever since the dawn of her secret war. The fight to end the influence and schemes of the Agarthans. <br/>As the name of her old enemy passed her by in her unrestful sleep, she shot awake. Covered in a cold sweat, she sat up to convince herself that she was no longer fighting that war. But it was too late, night eased the floodgates that held back that which she did not wish to deal with. <br/>Knowing what'd come next, she reached down and grasped her washing basin before hurling out her insides as quietly as possible. <br/>Her lips stung and her gut ached as she gazed down at her sweat-drenched bed. Tired, but wide-awake, she got herself up and shiveringly fetched some new clothes before risking a trip down to the servant springs to wash the sweat off. </p><p>By the time she was clean, warm, and dry again, the images of the Agarthans began to fade, and for once she felt hopeful she might actually get some more hours of sleep. The skies were still dark, no one but the night-watch was awake, other than a page who quickly ducked into a hallway on a half-trot. <br/>By the time she reached the door to her assigned quarters, she paused and looked back. Something inside her, perhaps her sleep-deprived induced paranoia, urged her to go check with Nader. Just to be sure.</p><p>She found the man asleep, snoring heavily. Worried, she traipsed by him on her bare feet and pushed open the door to the tack room. <br/>Relief flooded through her as she saw Khalid soundly asleep on his wyvern's saddle. She made ready to close the door as silently as she could. She knew how light he slept, and felt no need to scare him awake, but a gleam caught her eye, causing her to freeze.</p><p>Tucked in his saddlebag laid a sword. One she didn't recognize. The shape of its guard, pommel, and hilt were distinctively from Fôdlan.<br/>Khalid didn't begin studying the blade until she met him again, and he clearly preferred Almyran blades. It didn't add up. Softly she dropped her dirty clothes and snuck inside. Gently she lifted the blade from the saddlebag. </p><p>The scent of blood assailed her nose. Her hands were now covered in it. <br/>"This is bad." She whispered as her hands shivered. Ice cold shock had taken hold of her. Her head tried frantically to get her body to move, to get her lips to move.</p><p>"Byleth?!" She forced herself to look up and met the exasperated and harrowed gaze of Khalid. <br/>"This is really bad." She reiterated. </p><p>"Show yourself, you bastard!" Nader near broke down the door. </p><p> </p><p>== ( ==</p><p>"A whim." She shook her head. He had never seen her this distraught before. "I thought it looked weird, you don't own Fodlan make swords- you hate how they handle." She reasoned.<br/>His head, meanwhile, was going in circles. He couldn't deny the panic that raced underneath. <br/>"Okay, okay. Calm down. We need to think this through. No cry of alarm has gone out yet." He willed his frayed nerves to calm down. <br/>This wasn't his first time being on the receiving end of a scheme.</p><p>"They intend to have someone find me with this. Thanks to your sleep-deprived paranoia we may have some time before they send someone. <br/>"The bastards snuck by me-" Nader, who was nothing short of furious was restlessly pacing back and forth.<br/>"Wait- I can vouch for you! You haven't left this room at all last night. "</p><p>"Somehow I doubt they will accept your testimony, Nader." He smiled gently at the offer. Yet worry quickly took over. "No doubt they used a sword of Fodlan make to try to cement my tie to whomever’s blood this is. Assuming one of the five is responsible, I can only guess-" A shudder went through him, and he found himself looking at a very worried Byleth.<br/>"It doesn't make sense for me to murder my betrothed- so who-..." His eyes dilated. "The great Khan?" He glanced at the blade. </p><p>"To whoever that blood belongs is a question we can answer later. For now, they are about to accuse you of murder." She interjected his overwhelming sense of doom. "We need to get you as far away from this murder-weapon as possible." She spoke icily methodically. "I will take it somewhere and try to ditch it." She took the blade. <br/>"Nader, we need to get this room cleaned, as well as your saddlebag." She glanced at him. </p><p>"By-" He stood up and grabbed her wrist. "Don't. If they catch you- they will kill you. And not too gently either." He fought to keep the fringe of panic in his voice from growing.<br/>"If they catch me, they will question me. They won't kill me, yet. If they see you with this, it's over. <br/>Your dream dies." <br/>She took the blade and wiped it down before handing him her own. She then slid the murder-weapon in her scabbard and feigned a grin. <br/>"I won't let that happen."</p><p>"We will find another way!" He raised his voice, only to feel Nader's hand enclose over his mouth.</p><p>"Go! Godspeed to you- Go!" He shouldered the door open. She cast one glance back to him. And off she was. Rushing toward death, or worse.</p><p>He felt his heart-string tear. </p><p> </p><p>== 0 ==</p><p>But there was no rest, nor the time to plan. For in the morrow, news broke with the dawn of the Great Khan’s death. The one stabilizing factor, capable of controlling the lower Khans, had been murdered. With no suspect, or evidence to speak of. The mystery enraptured and appalled the people of the capitol.<br/>Unrest rippled across the lands in the coming weeks. Accusations were spat out left and right by those seeking to topple their enemies. But when proof eluded all searching eyes, no suspect could be charged.</p><p>Six weeks after the murder of the great Khan, the first glimpse of light on the horizon revealed itself to Khalid. In the form of a mystery, begging to be unraveled.</p><p>== 0 ==</p><p>“It’s suspicious, to say the least.” Nader tried to rekindle the fire that had simmered to mere embers in his young khan. Not even his fiance had managed to restore his spirit back to him. If Nader had to guess, well, it wasn’t hard to. He had been downcast ever since Byleth had taken off in the middle of the night. It had been weeks now, the funeral had been held over a month ago. But she hadn’t sent word. Then again, neither had anyone else.<br/>“I have a marriage to prepare for.” Khalid sighed. “The silence of one of our enemies is, right now, a very welcome thing.” <br/>It hurt the old man to see his former charge so downtrodden. He hid it well, usually. But to him, his disinclination to marry was plain to see. But even he understood why the kid was putting himself through so much misery.<br/>“This is your shot to become great Khan.” He offered, wishing dearly to lift his spirit. <br/>It won him the other's attention. “Maybe, but getting there-”</p><p>“Keep looking at things the way she told you to.” Nader smiled as he recalled the Fôdlani woman, who had rapidly become Khalid’s most trusted confidante. “Step by step.”</p><p>“I try-” Khalid looked up, the aching underneath was now clearly visible in his eyes. “ -but..”</p><p>“You love her, don’t you?” Nader chuckled as he whispered his observation within earshot. The other looked up as if caught doing something he shouldn’t be doing.<br/>“Heavens, it’s that obvious?” He looked even more distressed.</p><p>“To me, right now.” Nader laughed. “How long do you think I know ye? What sorry sod of a fool would I be if I didn’t know what you are up to by now?”</p><p>Khalid sighed before resting his arms on his knees. “I think I have been ever since we met in Fodlan.” He rested his forehead on his arms. “Even back then she was sharp as a whip. I had to work to keep her in the dark as to my upbringing. And now that I think back on those days, I don’t think she bought a single word of what I said.” He laughed. “Fighting a war with her-” He shook his head.<br/>“It’s enlightening to work with someone on my level- someone who gets my intentions without me needing to explain.”<br/>“Right, I know, the rest of us ordinary folk never understand.” Nader jested.<br/>“You know what I mean.” Khalid frowned.</p><p>“Relax kid, I do.” Nader laughed. “Nothing beats lopping heads off with a crew who understand one another.”<br/>“Exactly, kind of.” Khalid finally smiled. “Though, that’s not everything to her.” He got up and wandered over to his desk. “But that is my secret.” He winked.</p><p>Spirits lifted, Nader finally conceded with his body’s demand for a nap. “Fine, keep your secrets, boy. I will go and have a nap, try not to get killed.”<br/>“Try not to wake up the whole city with your snoring.” Khalid retorted with a smile.</p><p>== 0 ==<br/>“The man is shrewd, he watches us at all times. “<br/>“He has taken to cooking his own meals, with food from random vendors of every corner of the city.”<br/>“He is guarded both when asleep and awake. Even when he bathes. We see no opportunity.”<br/>“And worst of all, the weapon is gone. Without a trace. No speck of blood remains, not even in his saddlebags.”<br/>“If we are to save Almyra, we must succeed.”<br/>“I may have an idea-”<br/>A muted sneeze stopped the conversation dead. Frozen, the page dug his nails into his skin before bolting forward. Khalid had trained him for this- he had to hurry and report back!<br/>But then a whistle sealed his fate. An arrow burrowed itself into his chest, stopping his blood from pumping. With his eyes spanned wide and his mouth agape, the boy fell to the ground. A few chocking gasps, followed by spasms indicated his death before his stillness proved it.<br/>== ) ==</p><p>Nader found Khalid alone on the fortified walls of the capitol’s stronghold. “I believe she is still out there, somewhere.” He proclaimed with a hopeful smile. But that smile quickly fell as he saw Nader’s expression.<br/>“Qasim is dead. They said he was struck by a stray arrow when he crossed the shooting range.”</p><p>A lie, something the both of them knew right away. Distraught, Khalid wandered. He drew long shadows in the rising sun. “I will inform his parents.” His expression was carefully hidden in the young light. “See to it that he gets a proper burial, please.” Nader watched him grasp his arm to hide his anger. <br/>It was one of the few things most Fodlan nobility and Almyran nobility had in common. The lives of servants were.. Considered trivial. The death of a life-long retainer was mourned, but their shoes were easily filled. Even more so for a page that hadn’t even come of age yet.<br/>And he himself wasn’t without blame. At all. He was the one that had sent him on his mission. Knowing that somewhere in the great Khan’s stronghold, walked a murderer.<br/>He felt as though he had loosed the arrow that had taken the boy’s life.</p><p>== ) ==</p><p> </p><p>His fiance was splendid to look at, and occasionally to talk with. He had to give her that, at the very least. Dining with her and her family, he tried his best to be his ever cheery self. It was a lot harder, this time. With the wedding date rapidly approaching. There was still no sign, no word of Byleth.<br/>He shook his head and tried to keep his thoughts in the here and now. Dinner, family, fiance.<br/>She was speaking at length about one of the other Khans. She was smart enough to make this work, he thought. He could have done much worse, in any case. True happiness, well, that was something he’d have to learn to live without. For a good while, anyway. As wicked as he knew he could be, he wasn’t as low as to take her pawn off the board after she had outlived her usefulness. He didn’t want to become that kind of person. And not only because he knew she’d hate him for that. Byleth.<br/>When reality came calling with a question where his thoughts resided, he pulled an easy grin and teetered on the edge of decency when he told the table how he was looking forward to the marriage. It was a more than suitable explanation, and not wholly untrue, either.</p><p>== ) ==</p><p>“I wish she could see me like this.” He heard himself laugh a listless laugh. “She’d say ‘Way too many sashes and bells. How is that practical?!’” He imitated her manner of speech, much to Nader’s amusement. <br/>“You sure you don’t want your ma and da here?”<br/>He smiled sadly at seeing himself in the bronze mirror. <br/>“Yeah, without mentioning the danger, this- it feels-” He left the sentence unfinished, lest the walls had ears. Nader offered him an understanding nod. “As long as you’re sure.”<br/>“I am.” Now fully dressed in the traditional wedding garment, he sheathed the sword she had given him in his scabbard. </p><p>“I’ll give a call when it’s time.” Nader offered and then left him to his room and thoughts.</p><p>For a brief, unseen moment, he rubbed his gloved fingers past his eyes. <br/>Quietly he scribbled down a message on a piece of parchment and sealed it with a house Riegan crest pushed into purple wax.<br/>“Give this to Byleth if you see her, alright?” He pressed the letter in the hands of Nader before pushing on. Unwilling to let the man catch on to how deep his worry ran.</p><p>== 0 ==</p><p>The wedding, on all accounts, was beautiful.  In the morning, the pair to be wed rode through the streets on the back of a beautiful, ceremonial elephant dressed in all the vibrant colors that existed under the sun.<br/>Then, the pair was brought before the widow of the great Khan, who was also the priestess of the land. A descendant of a long lineage, stemming from a single Khan who had once ruled an area that was now claimed by the sea. Now, she presided over the joining of lives. </p><p>She, then, swore them to one another with the blessings of both the heavens and the land. </p><p>== ¤ ==</p><p>Trembling, she clutched the letter to her heart. She was glad Nader had led her to read this in a place with some modicum of privacy. Yet, as exhausted as she was, she stood up and pushed the door open. <br/>“You should rest-!” Nader urged her. “They will be off to some estate already-”<br/>She didn’t listen, she didn’t want to listen. With tears threatening to fall on her face she pushed on. But Nader grabbed her arm. “There is nothing you can do.”<br/>She turned around and fell against the wall for support. Her legs threatened to give out. </p><p>“He suffers.” She balled the hand holding the letter into a fist. “He is sacrificing everything to make this work, If I can ease the strain on him even a little, by showing him I am still alive then I will!”<br/>It was a lie, at least in part. But Nadir let go of her wrist, and thus it was enough. She turned around and grabbed her exhausted mare. She’d bear her a few miles further. </p><p>The truth was far more complicated, or simple than her lie had led Nadir to believe. It was her who needed to see him. To-... Her mare slowed down as she fought to keep her composure. Unfurling the letter, she read that bittersweet line again, and again.</p><p>Long had she been able to pretend she wasn’t affected. Long had she been able to convince herself of the need of this marriage to succeed.<br/>Long had she fooled herself that she would manage, somehow. That Khalid would never let anything come in between his ambition. His dream.<br/>And she honestly didn’t want to be the person who kept him from achieving his dreams. But on days such as this, the truth hurt too much to bear. Especially when he had entrusted it to her, in the form of this little note.</p><p>	“Despite what you may think, Despite what your eyes will see, and your ears will hear. I need you to know;<br/>		It has always been you. Always. ”</p><p>A smile wormed its way through her tears. She cast her gaze to the sky whilst pressing the piece of parchment to her chest. </p><p>Surrounding her, a cheer was cried out, drawing her out of her moment of reverie. To her left, along the main street, a caravan of colorful dancers escorted a carriage. Hurriedly she got off her mount and pushed her way through the crowd. She saw them, then. Approaching in a gold-plated open-roofed carriage bearing the bride and groom. For an instant, she wondered if he’d see her amidst the crowd, but that question was quickly answered as their gazes locked. <br/>Pure relief blossomed in his eyes and in hers. But the moment only lasted briefly, as the carriage didn’t stop. Instead, she walked along the crowds until she could no more. Panting, she watched the procession leave the city walls. <br/>‘At least, he knows.’ She told herself before sinking through her legs to sit on the well-traveled stone steps to the wall.</p>
  </div></div>
<a name="section0004"><h2>4. Chapter 4</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>== ) ==</p><p>They had traveled an hour or so to the west, to where his now father-in-law had a sizable estate for them to celebrate. Yet, whilst everything had gone perfectly, he felt- empty. Seeing her again, amidst the crowd had caused his heart to soar. But at the same time, he had also seen her expression and had almost failed in playing his part when he mulled over it a tad too long on the ride over.<br/>
She had seemed so, happy- and still so pained.</p><p>The realization followed when the party started with his mother-in-law reading things from a piece of parchment, moments before he was expected to speak. It was then that his throat began to swell, and tears fought to be shed. Being forced to use his love for another to feign himself as a happy husband, was gut-wrenching. Yet, none in the room looked oddly at an emotional groom. Instead, he received cheering rounds of applause as he undid the ceremonial shawl from his now-wife, to show her to all of the family.<br/>
The tears he shed, weren’t for his wife. But for the one who had, against all his wildest dreams, forgiven him for all his flaws and still loved him in spite of them. What other meaning could her tears have held?</p><p>With a broken heart, he celebrated and feasted. Paying a price he never thought would be this high.</p><p>When the moment finally arrived, where he would kiss his bride, he summoned every bit of mental discipline he had and kissed her, politely and brief. For more, he couldn’t manage right now. Lest he’d falter and slip. Brilliantly red lips met his own.<br/>
Then the hour had come, and all invited wished them the best before sending the married couple off to their rooms, to fulfill the last and final requirement to finalize the marriage.</p><p>== ) ==</p><p>Behind closed doors, he beheld his bride. The final requirement was often one laden with stress, especially so with marriages between high-placed nobility and arranged marriages.<br/>
“If you want to wait, we can.” He offered whilst he held one of her hands. Wishing she’d take his offer. But instead, she shook her head and embraced him, before pushing her lips against his in another kiss. And she didn’t let go. Step by step she pushed him towards what he hoped to be a bed instead of a window. She pushed him over and kissed him again, but now he felt something different as well.</p><p>She was trembling.</p><p>Alarmed, he broke the kiss. “Are you alright? You are trembling all over?”<br/>
She didn’t meet his eyes. “E-Excitement.” She nodded, not at all like how forward she usually was with him. He frowned, but instead, she lunged at him, pushing him down with another kiss. Only then did he feel it.<br/>
When it was already too late.<br/>
She pinned him down. She, a small, feather-light woman, pinned him down, and he could not get loose.</p><p>	‘Paralyzing poison!’</p><p>When he couldn’t move a muscle anymore, she got up. Shakily she fetched a bottle and drowned the contents. Then slowly, the shaking stopped.<br/>
“You aren’t the only one who can weave a scheme.” She spoke quietly, then moved to the servant’s door and knocked twice, and in stepped her mother. He could just make her out in his incapacitated position. The poison they used was good enough to even rob him of his speech.</p><p>“Not even excited for my daughter, huh?” The mother walked to his bedside. “Should have known.” She smiled. She then turned to her daughter. “Open the door to the bathroom.”<br/>
“Mother?” She asked as she held the door open.<br/>
“Come and help me.” She gestured and lifted Khalid by his arm. “After having a furiously lovely time, your husband desired a bath and with you satisfying him so well, he fell asleep in the hot water. A tragic accident.” She gestured and began dragging his body over the bed’s end across the floor.</p><p> </p><p>== ¤ ==</p><p>“How did it go?” Nader greeted her with a concerned countenance.<br/>
“He saw me.” She sighed and sat down, allowing her weary body to settle down. “Has all gone well during my absence?”</p><p>“It was touch and go a few times, but yes.” Nader sat down and poured her a cup of tea.<br/>
“Good, I am glad.” She took it, but it was still too hot, so she blew on her not-so-fancy mug. “How long are they supposed to be gone, and who is there to look after him?”<br/>
“Weeks? A month isn’t uncommon.” Nader shook his head. “And to bring security would indicate we don’t trust our host.” She picked up on his concern. “We paid some of the staff to keep an eye out, but those arrangements are prone to be compromised.”<br/>
Slowly she nodded whilst staring a hole in the wooden table.<br/>
“So effectively no one?”<br/>
“No. I dislike it too, but it was this or no marriage. Khalid made the call to push through.”<br/>
“Idiot.” She groused and drowned her now cooled down tea in a single gulp. “Do we have any reason to be extra weary?”<br/>
“No, it’s been calm.”</p><p>“Strange, they said they wanted to sabotage the marriage. Have they tried?”<br/>
Again, Nader shook his head.<br/>
“How did you solve things on your end?”</p><p>She stood up and began to pace to ease the restlessness in her legs. “I left it somewhere it will be useful.” She sighed. “The reason this took me so long, was that I was chased. I had to circle back to Salisse to shake them.”<br/>
“One of the Khan’s?” Nader asked alarmed. She shook her head. “Slave hunters.” She tucked her worn shawl from her neck. ”Then the trip back from Salisse I had to travel carefully, as not to be recognized.” She poked her own cheek. “I got myself sunburnt to avoid the worst of the stares, but it turns out I turn red instead of tan.” She sighed and gazed out of the window.<br/>
“That was one hell of a journey. To tell you the truth, he was worried for you.” Nader smiled.<br/>
“And I worry about him. No guards whilst a khan or two are actively trying to kill him or get him killed?” She frowned. </p><p>“You mention it-” Nader looked up to her. “One of our pages got himself killed. Stray arrow they said, bullshit. This was right before the wedding, and I know Khalid had him snooping left and right.”<br/>
“On who?”<br/>
“Everyone.” Nader sighed. “That is the problem. We can’t narrow it down.”<br/>
“Damn it-” She turned back from her pacing. She bit her lip as she considered her options, then looked up once more.</p><p>“I have to go. These people won’t stop until they kill him, Nader.” A grimace flinched over her face. “To kill a boy, because he heard too much- These people won’t drag their feet to kill a groom at his wedding. No matter what the father-in-law says.”<br/>
“You can’t just go barging in there.” Nader shook his head. “I want to go too, but if I do, I will risk destroying everything Khalid’s worked for.”</p><p>“And if we don’t, and he dies, his dream dies too.” Byleth spoke the words with a hard tone. “I am a foreigner, let them blame it on me being an idiot Fôdlani.” She straightened her back. “I don’t trust this.”</p><p>Nader sighed, but she cut him off.<br/>
“If everything is fine and I am caught, then disavow me and claim I have run away. Or that I am secretly a spy. Whatever will convince them, then we will go from there.” She grabbed a long cloak and donned it. “I will be borrowing one of your horses.”</p><p>== ) ==</p><p>With dread he watched the plunger go down.<br/>
“Worry not, it won’t stop your heart.” The woman put the syringe back in a fold of her robes. The new dose of poison, now administered directly, made inhaling almost impossible, save for shallow, short breaths. Gently, her fingers went to work undoing his garments. Try as he did, his hands wouldn’t lift, he could barely make his eyelids blink.<br/>
It had been a gamble, trusting his fiance’s family. He honestly thought he had them figured, but it turned out to be the mother-in-law. He damned himself thrice over but ultimately concluded that it was useless to do so. It wouldn’t change anything.<br/>
Nader wouldn’t come, and the chances of being found here, in the bridal suite at night, were none. He had been nothing than exemplary as a fiance, or at least he had tried his hardest to give such an impression. There had been a chance that this family would try something, but of all of the Khans and their families, this one had been the most unlikely candidate.<br/>
Carefully he watched his mother-in-law fold his clothes whilst she instructed her daughter to mess up the bed and set the scene for a tragic awakening in a few hours. Then two pairs of hands lifted him with trouble, and he felt hot water pool around his toes.<br/>
“Go and lie down. I will make sure he passes.” The mother sent her daughter away.<br/>
Slowly, the water level rose in the indigo blue tiled bath. Carefully she arranged his limbs around the rim of the tub before tugging him down on his feet. She was stronger than she looked. Warm water rushed past his thighs now, causing his scars to ache.</p><p>Khalid found himself staring up at the ceiling, and deep in his heart wished that he had never left Fodlan. Then, maybe, he’d have lived with her, somewhere in Derdriu, with a son or daughter to bounce on his lap, with a future to look forward to. A simpler life. A happier life.</p><p> </p><p>== ¤ ==</p><p>The stars stood overhead, the triad to her right. Retracing the route from the multitude of tracks, wasn’t too hard. When the first light began to reveal itself, coloring the sky a deep purple in the east, she gained sight of the estate. Dismounting, she approached the guards, who firmly told her none were allowed inside, not even them.<br/>
“Would the festivities have finished?” She asked in her best Almyran.<br/>
“Hours ago.” The other guard answered. “Best head back the way you came, foreigner.”</p><p>She grabbed her horse and mounted before obeying the given commands, but only until she was well and out of sight. Ducking behind a dune, she sent her horseback and crept along a stream that ran past the estate walls.<br/>
‘I only need to confirm he is alright.’ She steeled her weary legs. Yet her mind decided to inform her that she may not find him peacefully sleeping in his bed. She pushed those thoughts away. ‘When that happens-…’ She glanced at the estate. ‘-… I’ll be happy for him everything went alright.’<br/>
Quietly she made her way around the estate’s vast walls. Scaling them was going to be a pain.</p><p>== ) ==</p><p>The water reached his temples, now. Warm and otherwise soothing, it now foretold of his demise. Shallow breaths were all he could take as she came into view. His supposed wife.<br/>
“You truly thought we didn’t know? That we didn’t notice how your foray into the western lands changed you? Or how you sought council with that Fôdlani woman. I saw the way you looked at her, you know?” She laughed, the sound of her voice was trapped in between contempt and a warped kind of pity.<br/>
“Your Salisse will become the bargaining chip we need for me to ascend to become the high-Khatun.” Her almond eyes met his. “You who bear mixed-blood thought you could scheme your way up, using me. ” She caressed his cheek with cold fingers. “May the earth take you, tainted though you may be.” </p><p>The water now rose to cover his eyes, blurring his view to a blot of blue and yellow, as well as a hue of purple to the east. The shadow left, but not before her cold fingers pushed his chin down, submerging his mouth. Then a strong weight, laden onto his chest, pushed his chest under. The rushing of water was all he heard, as well as his thundering heartbeat. The paralyzing agent was subsiding, but not fast enough. Feeling the water level rising fast, he took as deep a breath he could before the water flooded his nose, mouth, and throat.<br/>
He heard a hard thunk, deafened by the water that surrounded him. Slowly, his lungs started to burn. Frantic thoughts turned and returned to her, how he had seen her amongst the masses. Weary and tired, worried and yet bearing a tear stricken countenance.<br/>
‘Was I right? I will never know, won’t I?’ He felt his lungs burn and he fought every impulse to just breathe. He’d fight for as long as he was able.</p><p>‘Earth and sky as my witness, I won’t go quietly-’ He struggled under the weight of his limbs as well as the one laid on his chest. </p><p>When he opened his eyes, she was there. Like a goddess he knew she was, she had come to guide him.</p><p>	And he was at peace.</p><p> </p><p>== ¤ ==</p><p>Her limbs burned from the climb, but her first glance into what definitely had to be the bridal suite after three wrong suites shifted all that pain to the back of her mind.<br/>
There she stood, looking down into the luxurious bath whilst holding a small quern stone. Confused, she watched her lower it down into the water until she saw a familiarly brown shaded hand hang over the edge.<br/>
It sent her stone-of-a-heart into overdrive.<br/>
With a leap, she cleared the wall and with her left arm, she shattered the ornate glass-in-lead window. The wife turned around in abject shock and quickly produced a stiletto knife from her wedding dress.</p><p>Byleth felt nothing but fury guide her actions as she drew her blade. Before she could so much as lunge, Byleth had cleaved her stomach cleanly in two. With her eyes transfixed on the woman, she dashed forward and pushed her aside as she bled on the ornately tiled floor.<br/>
With her stone-of-a-heart in her throat, she looked into the tub and found him, fully submerged and not moving.</p><p>She dove forward and grabbed hold of the now slippery quern-stone and worked it off his chest before stepping into the hot water. She latched her arms around his chest and with a single strong pull, tore him up above the water’s surface.<br/>
“Khalid!” She heard herself yell as she propped him up. But his body was too heavy and slippery to hold, so she squirmed herself behind him and latched her arms under his.<br/>
“Khalid wake up!” She yelled as she shook him, but only water spilled out of his mouth and nose. With one arm she pushed his head forward and held him from falling in the other direction and then gave him a sordid slap on his back.<br/>
She whispered a prayer to Sothis as she felt his chest contort and the man began to hack and cough.<br/>
Carefully, she urged her near-buckling legs to respond and got up, carrying the man with both her arms lest she’d let him fall. Step by step she dragged him out of the bath and onto the floor, where she then promptly fell.<br/>
She caught him, however, and pulled him close to her chest. A fury of a pain radiated from within her as she finally met his hazily opened green eyes. She reached out and pushed his wet, sloppy hair out of his face and pulled him against her. </p><p>== ) ==</p><p>“I can’t move-” He whispered against her skin. “They drugged me-” His words slurred, but she nodded gently. Meeting her gaze, he wondered if he had ended up in some sort of after-life. ”I am alive, right?” He asked and saw her face contort.<br/>
“Barely.” Her voice sounded thick as she met his gaze. She was about to scold him, he knew that expression, but instead, she pulled him closer. Her warmth encompassed him, and he reveled in her presence. He so dearly wished his arms would obey- so he could hold her tightly as she held him, but they remained motionless still.<br/>
And then she cried. Silently. He felt her tears fall on his skin. Her lips stiffly joined together, she pushed her forehead against his.<br/>
“I am okay- thanks to you.” He whispered, but it was only half-discernible.</p><p>“How touching.”<br/>
Within the blink of an eye, Byleth held a shakily pointed sword at the mother-in-law.<br/>
“Where is my daughter?” She asked, looking none too impressed with the sight.</p><p>“Dying, if not dead-” Khalid grimaced, then coughed as much as his muscles allowed him to.  “Take her and go-” He panted shallowly. “Or face the consequences.”<br/>
Gently, Byleth propped him up against the bedpost. Not long after a gasp and a muted scream of panic followed. Mother, cradling her daughter, bolted from the bathroom and out of the bridal suite. Byleth promptly latched the door and returned to his side.<br/>
Carefully she helped him up and onto the bed, then she covered him against the morning cold.</p><p>“This was not exactly how I pictured it to be.” He whispered as she knelt by his bedside.<br/>
“Thank you”<br/>
She shook her head. “What were you thinking? Going in here without any backup.” She stroked a few errant locks of hair back.<br/>
“It always had been a gamble-” He focused on her eyes, her face, and couldn’t tear his gaze away. His fingers now curled as the toxin was slowly losing its effectiveness.<br/>
“Could you- prop my head up a bit more? I want to look at you”<br/>
With a liberating sigh, she moved forward and over him to push a second pillow behind the first. It was then that he saw his chance clean, and took it, for the first time.</p><p>== ¤ ==</p><p>She fell for it. And never before was she gladder that she did. His lips brushed past hers in just a minute touch as his teeth sought to catch her lip. She looked at him, bearing what was probably an amusing expression because Khalid smiled from ear to ear. Yet fooled as she felt, her stone-of-a-heart thrummed in her chest with too many feelings to name, and she let herself fall into her first kiss. Her hands wandered to cradle the sides of his face as her tears flowed. Her stone-of-a-heart felt like it was about to burst when she let go. Her legs had given in, and she fell beside the bed whilst holding onto him. When his hand closed around her own, she smiled.<br/>
“You proved your point.” She sighed as she pushed his knuckles against her cheek. “I can’t leave you alone.” Her lips split in a warm smile.  Carefully, he managed to turn his head to face her. “Not for a second.” He chuckled softly.<br/>
“Your near-death experience is no laughing matter.” She retorted before succumbing to a joyfully and relieved laugh.<br/>
“Your own words; almost doesn’t count.” He jested, and now, she saw she hadn’t been the only one shedding a few tears. She brushed them away before pressing her lips against his once more.</p><p>With her adrenaline finally settling down, clarity of mind soon followed. Only then did she pick up on the sounds of a house waking up to a stirring panic.<br/>
“What do we do?” She asked him. Briefly, she considered hauling him out of the room the way she had come, but doing so without dropping him was nigh impossible without the cover of night, let alone how tired she was. The risk of an arrow in the back was massive.<br/>
“Leave things to me.” He reached out, shifting his arm several centimeters so his hand could reach hers. “The toxin’s hold is weakening, I’ll be up and on my legs before you know.” He met her gaze. “Just stay right beside me.” He winked.<br/>
“My near-death placed me in a better position then I could have dreamed.” He chuckled shallowly. Byleth bit her lip to keep herself from giving him a whack on the head.<br/>
It gave Khalid cause to chuckle. “You still look adorable when you’re cross with me.”<br/>
“You are impossible.” She sighed as she held her fingers to her forehead.</p><p>“Ah, you know me. I aim to please.” He now struggled to push himself to sit up while she stifled a laugh. With a short toss, she threw his clothes to him. “Get yourself dressed, ere another scandal takes place on the same night.” She averted her gaze, but couldn’t wipe her smile away.<br/>
“Why did you let them leave?” She wondered aloud whilst she heard him getting dressed. Or at least attempting to.</p><p>“Cause the place they will flee to will show me who wants me dead the most. That house is probably also the one who is responsible for the murder of the great-khan.” She heard him curse under his breath. Such a familiar word, as he had let it slip on countless occasions back during their time in Garreg Mach. But now, she knew it’s meaning.<br/>
“Leave the buttons for me.” She leaned against the wall. “You think that only one of the four is hellbent on killing you?”<br/>
“Well, technically two. But I’ve reached an understanding with one of them.” The sound of fabric rustling against fabric gave her cause to think he was mostly dressed, and thus she turned to him, finding him draped in his ornate wedding suit which hung off his frame.</p><p>“Hmm… ”She approached and sat on the bed beside him before getting to work on lining the buttons up and fastening them. “As long as you don’t plan on getting married again.”<br/>
“Don’t you worry.” He grinned as she straightened his clothes. “I will be marrying only one other person.” He grinned and took great delight in her expression.<br/>
“One thing at a time, Riegan.” She murmured as she fitted his gloves and rings. When she then caught his slightly worried expression, she couldn’t contain a smile.<br/>
“Can you stand?” She dug the balls of her hands into her thigh muscles to ease the strain. “I am expecting someone to come barging in before long.”</p><p>“Let me try-” He leaned forward and tested his weight. When he leaned too far in, she caught his palms and helped him back on his feet. “There we go-” He grinned. “Honestly I am shocked, they managed to find a poison I haven’t ever seen before.”<br/>
“Maybe that is why they couldn’t kill you outright.” She speculated. “Few others can boast the immunity you cultivated.” She looked back to the bathroom.<br/>
“See, all my sick days pay off now!” He tried but found chagrin in her expression instead.</p><p>“I will always have to live with finding you in your own vomit, you know that, right?”<br/>
“That was just due to a minor miscalculation teach!” He whined.<br/>
“You haven’t called me that in… years.” She met his gaze. “Minor miscalculation or not, you were sick for weeks.” She frowned.<br/>
“And thanks to that, I gained immunity against one of the most used poisons there is.” He grinned bashfully. </p><p>“That, you did.” She sighed.”You remember you promised you’d make it up to me, for those weeks of home-schooling?”<br/>
“What kind of schemer would I be if I didn’t!” She helped him sit down with an unimpressed expression.<br/>
“You forgot.”<br/>
That boyish grin he pulled, however, laid waste to her attempt at a serious expression, and thus she did the only sensible thing.<br/>
She surrendered. </p><p>== 0 ==</p><p>The events at the estate shot past Byleth as she focused her remaining energy on Khalid. A lot of shouting and yelling went in between both parties until finally, they mellowed to a more amicable tone.<br/>
In between one of those long talks, Khalid and Byleth got a moment to themselves. Exhausted though she felt, she tasted the food before taking it into the room.<br/>
“I can see you are tired, so I’ll give you the short version for now.” He noticed her bite marks in the food, looking up, she gave a nod. So he ate.<br/>
“My father-in-law knew of nothing, and surprise surprise, someone had been attempting to poison him ever since two moons ago. His people found the same poison, they tried it three times before they realized he has his food tested before he eats. Naturally, they only tried it when he was away.” Khalid’s exhaustion slowly became more and more apparent as he let his guard relax.<br/>
“I believe him, for now. Putting two and two together we both arrived at the same conclusion. Wherever mother and daughter turn up will give away who has been pulling the strings on this all.” He rubbed his eyes with his hands. “We’ve entered in a sort of armistice, for now. Until we can find out how deep this conspiracy truly runs. ”<br/>
“Be careful” She sipped her cup of tea. “Without a great-Khan to restore order, anything could happen.”<br/>
Khalid nodded. “I know. We are still on thin ice, but we’re not drowning anymore.” He smiled. “If I can play my cards right in the conversation to come, there is a chance he may appoint me as his heir. To save his family’s honor.”<br/>
“Then you will have two lines to support your ascension.” She concluded.<br/>
“Right, and if we manage to take out the one after me, I know I can sway the other two to my cause.” His intense stare stirred things within her chest.<br/>
“I am with you.”<br/>
“I wouldn’t have it any other way.” He placed his hand over hers. She turned her palm and strung her fingers in between his.<br/>
“Then go and achieve your dream. Our dream.”</p>
  </div><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_foot_notes"><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
          <p>Two chapters in one! Surprise! </p><p>There is so much amazing fan art out there, it got me writing up a storm! I adore these two so much. I can only hope I did them justice in this little fic, and that you liked it of course. &lt;3<br/>I never wrote romance like this before (at least never published it) Nor did I write attempted murders and intrigue like this.<br/>I hope you will forgive me letting Byleth succeed in ditching the murder-weapon. I just wanted, for once, to let such plots succeed instead of having her fail. I am also completely uncertain as to what to do on her turning-back-time prowess. I am writing another FE3H fic (very slowly) which deals with it and honestly, it complicates things so, so much. I kind of want to avoid it here. We'll see how it goes.<br/><b>Thank you for reading and have an amazing day! </b><br/>p.s. I read this amazing fic of Claude and Byleth- let me find it;<br/>https://archiveofourown.org/works/24922504 By deleiterious</p><p>I guess I am a sucker for angst, who knew :D</p>
        </blockquote></div></div>
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